So you need a laptop, aye.

To me the biggest problem with buying a notebook is finding a name you can trust. After all it's up to the company building the laptop to decide what parts they're going to put into it and at what price. Lesser companies put in dirt cheap parts and sell their laptops at the same price as other companies would. It's not always a 'get what you pay for' affair. In the past companies like Compaq have sold useless garbage, and even Sony had a bad rap for some time. But, companies like Sony have since cleaned up their warranty act.

So, where does that leave the buyer? Frankly with a plethora of options, but today I want to highlight 3 Notebook companies:

• Alienware
• Asus
• XtremeNotebooks

Alienware Laptops

Alienware's PC line is notoriously geared towards gamers. People who use their graphics cards to the max and are well known for overclocking, so heat is a major issue for them. And what is one of the major issues with Laptops? Yeap, heat. This company knows it's cooling. Computers that are kept at a more reasonable temperature also tend to have a longer lifespan with less hardware trouble.
I'm particularly fond of the Aurora m9700 Notebook(pictured right), it comes in 3 colors and has a nice starting price at $1,799 and as of this article offers a $300 instant rebate. With a 17in. screen it would be nice for watching videos and easy to read for your everyday mundane tasks.

Asus Laptops

Asus offers a very nice business line of Laptops for expanded out of office capabilities. For instance their W7J line is set up for 'Video Conference On The Go' at about $1500 and their S6F series (pictured right) has a Leather skin option that looks classy and business like at about $2400. Also, there is news that Asus has teamed up with Ferrari to produce a pretty elegant looking Laptop, you can read about it at www.mobilityguru.com under their 'Holiday Buyers' Guide 2006, Part 5: The Mobility Stuff'. Also, Asus is notable because of how many online retailers offer their Notebooks, simply click on their 'Where to Buy' link to find a retailer that suites your needs.

XtremeNotebooks

XtremeNotebooks is one of my favorite Laptop companies! Offering the Fusion series Notebooks with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 (dual core) processor and lots of options for customization. Currently offering a 2% discount if you use a business check, bank wire transfer, cashiers check or money order. As a computer nerd I'd buy from this company or MSI.